


A visit from Valentine

by ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish



Series: Ree [6]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Developing Relationship, Embarrassment, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Girls with Guns, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Long Shot, Morning After, To Be Continued
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 15:45:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12135729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish/pseuds/ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish
Summary: Nick visits Goodneighbor and offers his help to Hancock and Ree, but it doesn't look good. Like Ree doesn't have a lot on her plate already, but now Hancock makes her puzzled... What is he thinking? The story of Ree & Hancock continues.





	A visit from Valentine

I peered through my half open eyelid. I was lying on my stomach. Carefully I drew my legs under me and pushed with my hands, and eventually I was sitting on my knees. In a bed. In the room which was assigned to me. Alone. As my brains processed this I looked down.

I was still wearing the same clothes as I was yesterday.

Without even realizing it I had held my breath, and now broke down in heaving motion. I looked at my hands against the mattress. I remembered dancing. I had felt such happiness it now struck me with a sharp spear of shame. I had no right to feel like that. And...

_Hancock leaning on top of me._

My cheeks flushed with a burning hot sensation. He had asked me something, and I hadn't known how to answer. He had been so close. I wanted him closer. I wanted it all to happen so bad that I had ached.

But, I slowly started stating the facts to myself, I was now in my room. Fully clothed. My body still felt like my own, it didn't feel... Well, it didn't feel like it had been invaded when I had blacked out. That meant that someone, probably Hancock, had carried me into my room and on to my bed. He had not taken advantage of the situation, even if he could have.

I sniffed and rubbed my eyes. I was relieved, but for some reason, also confused. Why did he do it? And why had I wanted him to do it even more? And was I just a brief fun to him? Was that why he was so keen on watching over my training?

”Oh, shut up”, I slapped myself on to my temples. ”Don't overthink it.”

But damn. I had no idea jet could do that. I mean, I knew it was a drug, of course. But I couldn't even begin to imagine the effects of it. I wasn't too sure if I did want to experience it again, though. Thinking back it felt a bit too alarming not to be able to think straight – specially with a guy like Hancock in the same room.

I got up and stared at my reflection on the cracked mirror. She didn't look any different than she had looked before, if you didn't count the bed head and a reddish stripe going over my right cheek where the crumpled up sheet had pressed against.

After I did some unavoidable washing and had tied up my hair in a loose ponytail I drew a deep breath.

”Okay. Okay. It's cool. Nothing happened and I need to get a grip.”

A knock on the door made me jump. Cool? I don't think so.

”It's Fahrenheit. Are you up?”

”Yeah, come in.”

She cracked the door open and looked at me, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

”Hey there. Had a good trip yesterday?” She smirked at my reddening face. ”I saw Hancock carrying you in your room. You were muttering something about a harlequin and you looked like you had the time of your life. What's a harlequin?”

I couldn't get a word out of my mouth right away. Harlequin? Was I telling them about my guilty pleasure, which was buying Harlequin's novels every time one came out? Why the hell did I do that for?! That's it. No more jet for this girl.

”It's... A type of a comedy character. French.”

”Huh. Well, it explains why you had so much fun then, I guess. Anyway – Hancock asked me to get you. Valentine's arrived and they're waiting for you to join them.”

”Valentine?” I had to mentally poke my brains, which were still going over the whole Harlequin incident. ”The detective?”

”The one and only. You better hurry if you're all set.”

I followed Fahrenheit to the hallway and at the doors of Hancock's office, which were now closed. Fahrenheit knocked and opened the door for me, but apparently she wasn't included in this meeting, so she stayed behind.

Hancock was just offering a cigar to a man in a faded trench coat and a fedora. The man took it and lit it up, then turned to look at me with a friendly smile on his face.

”Hello. You must be Ree. I'm Nick Valentine and I'm here to give you a hand, if I'm able to.”

I was taken aback for a short moment. Nick looked like he was a man, but some of his skin had some serious injuries – like his face and right hand, which didn't have flesh on it at all. The huge gash on his left face revealed a metallic parts and the hand was only a metal frame resembling a hand. His eyes shone yellow. A synth.

I recovered quickly, so my response didn't take awkwardly long.

”Hi. And yes – thank you so much for coming”, I said quickly. I glanced Hancock, but he wasn't looking at me. He was making himself comfortable on one of the sofas and called for us to join him. When I moved closer he gestured me to sit next to him, but didn't look me in the eyes.

Was he mad? If he was, he was covering it well and treating me very neutral manner.

”Well then. Ellie only told me the highlights of this case, so it's on you to give me as much information as you got”, Nick sat down on the sofa on the other side of the coffee table, but leaned forward to us. Even if he was clearly a synth, his eyes were comforting and warm. ”After that I'd like to have a chat with the men you captured.”

I glimpsed at Hancock again and he nodded at me. ”Go on.”

So, again, I told my story to these two men. When I was finished, Nick was frowning and turned his head to look at Hancock.

”You're right, it sounds like the same as all the other ones around Commonwealth. The problem is, if this is a large and organized group operating the whole system, it's impossible to stop it. We can pull one weed from the ground here and there, but with these resources we got, it's no use. Two always pushes back up from the hole we made.”

My shoulders slumped. I could understand it, but didn't want to believe it. Just some time ago I was still naïve enough to believe that such thing as slavery wouldn't exist today, but of course it does. I defiantly lifted my head.

”But it's not all for nothing, either. If we, or anyone, manages to save even one person from being sold as a slave, then it's worth fighting back”, I said and Nick nodded approvingly.

”I agree. I know the Minutemen are also working on their end to prevent slavery, as are The Railroad, but they also have problems of their own. It's futile to cry over something we can't entirely control, but focus on what we can do. I have your description of the friend of yours and I can rely it forward to anyone I can think of that might be capable to help.”

”I'm grateful for every bit of help”, I told him cordially. He smiled reassuringly and turned then back to Hancock.

”Now, how about I'll meet those friends of yours.”

”Sure”, Hancock nodded and stood up, then looked at me for the first time. ”You should stay with Fahrenheit. I don't want you to get anywhere near those bastards.”

I felt the blood heat up my cheeks and quickly turned my face so he could only see them from one side.

”Okay.”

Hancock called Fahrenheit back and together with Nick they disappeared in the lower floors of the building.

”So, you up for training today after we've found something to eat? I'm starving”, Fahrenheit stretched her arms high in the air. We were still in Hancock's office and I'd had a minute to calm myself down. ”I've gathered some melee weapons for you as Hancock asked.”

”Thank you”, I felt a relief and a pleasant tug inside me, but I forced it back where it came from and braced myself. ”But I kinda had an idea yesterday. Hancock's right – sooner or later I will have to get used to guns. So I remembered something I once read, when I was doing a research on how to overcome my fears, but never did try because I was too afraid. You know how to take a gun to pieces?”

Fahrenheit snorted.

”Do I know how to do that? You bet your ass.”

”I thought so”, I smiled and looked at my hands which already had started to shake slightly. It took me few seconds to get them relaxed again. ”Could you do that with me? Could you take a gun, break it to pieces and teach me how to assemble it back? This is just a thought, but if I could learn to understand how the gun works, then maybe...”

I didn't know how to end that sentence. Honestly, I didn't have any clue how it would help me, but at least it it should be better than avoiding the topic.

Fahrenheit shrugged and started walking towards the door.

”Sounds like a good plan to me. Come on, I have the keys to the storage house. But first – breakfast!”

…

It's working! I'm holding a gun. My hands are shaking like crazy, but at least I'm still in control of myself. Fahrenheit had dismantled a gun she said was a N99 10 mm pistol and put it in front of me. It took a while until I was able to touch it.

Slowly Fahrenheit introduced me one part after another, explained their purpose and let me actually assemble the pistol, one piece at the time. Finally, after three, four hours or so, it was done. I was holding the fully assembled gun in my hands. There still wasn't any bullets, but I didn't want to push my luck.

”Good work”, Fahrenheit yawned and fell backwards on the table she had been sitting on. ”Jeez. You better get quicker with that, because I'm not going to do this more than a few times, tops. I'm so hungry!”

I had to smile, even though I couldn't let my eyes wander off from the dirty pistol.  
  
”You don't have to. I remember how to do this, so I can continue by myself if you want to go and eat something.”

She lifted her legs a bit and swung herself up.

”You sure?” She sounded concerned. ”I'm not sure if it's such a good idea. I mean – I heard what happened to you last time when you were handling a gun.”

”It's fine now. See? And besides, it's not loaded. I can just practice dismantling it and putting it together again. Really get to know it.”

Fahrenheit was still thinking it over, but I could hear her stomach growling. I also felt a bit hungry, but I didn't want to stop just now. I was too excited for my progress and wanted to enforce it more.

”You promise not to start a riot here or faint and hit your head?”

I nodded and was genuinely touched. Even if she'd only be doing what Hancock had ordered her to do, it still felt good to have someone to look after you. Fahrenheit reminded me of Holly, though they didn't look anything alike. But they were both true fighters and survivors.

”Okay then. I'll be back soon, so just stay here.”

And she was out of the door. I sat down by the table and after a moment started dismantling the gun. At first, my hands were trembling again, but the more I worked on it and the pieces felt more and more familiar, my whole body started to relax.

When the pistol was once again complete I rose from the chair and weighted the gun in my hands. It didn't start grabbing to my skin. It didn't control me. It was a thing, which I was in charge of. I glanced at the ammo boxes, but quickly turned away.

While having the gun I walked through the room to the shooting range. Someone had picked up the can I had shot down yesterday, now there were three of them in the row, standing on the wooden plank about 10-15 yards away. I slowly lifted the gun with both of my hands and pointed at the first tin can, carefully placing my right index finger on the trigger.

I waited until the shaking stopped, which took long enough to make my arms tired. But I didn't move from my pose, because I wanted to make my body to remember this. Remember how the gun feels and how heavy it was. I aimed the can and squeezed the trigger. When the pistol made a hollow – and very unsatisfied – click, I froze.

A minute passed. Then another. The gun didn't begin to suck me in. My legs kept me up, even though they weren't quite sure of themselves like they normally were. But I was still standing, holding the pistol and I had just fired it. Well, not really, but I was still so relieved that I had to shove the gun on the table and draw both of my hands on my mouth to suppress the nervous laughter.

”It's working. Holy shit!”

I just had to make an embarrassing high five to myself. Then I casually picked up the pistol again and moved it from hand to hand, just to see how easily it happened. I still didn't like handling it, but I was so thrilled to be able to do it at all.

The door opened behind me and I twirled around excited.

”I can do it! I can hold it and even press the-” My voice died out. Instead of Fahrenheit, Hancock had entered the room.

”I sent Fahrenheit to run some errands for me. She shouldn't have left you alone”, Hancock looked at the pistol in my hands. ”You okay with that?”

I was painfully aware that my face had turned red. It was something that came to me way too easily.

”...Yeah. I'm good. Fahrenheit showed me how to dismantle it and put it together again.”

”Hey, that's great!”

Hancock smiled and with that took away some of my tension. I smiled back and returned the pistol with the others.

”Listen- before we get back to Nick, I wanted to talk with you”, Hancock said with a serious tone in his words. It was something that I hadn't heard many times before, so I turned to him, perplexed. Hancock crossed his arms and sighed.

”About yesterday. I should not have done that. You were on your first jet trip and I'm not a man who takes such an advantage of a woman.”

My cheeks felt like they were inflamed. They burned as I tried to think of something to say.

”It's... It's okay. Anyway- I was so high that I barely remember a thing”, I made an effort to sound cheerful. ”I might think twice before trying some jet again.”

”No. I owe you an apology. I know that a ghoul – even one with my charisma – can be... intimidating. Not many wants to see this ugly mug up close, plus I over stepped. Not gonna happen again.”

”I don't think you're ugly”, I burst out before thinking.

At first he looked surprised at my outburst, but then he grinned.

”Well, I'm not exactly a Prince Charming, either. Anyhow... We're okay?”

I wanted to say more, but how could I tell him that I had wanted it so badly myself?

”Yes”, I gave a bland reply. ”We're cool.”

”Good to hear. Let's get back to Nick. He's about to leave and wanted to see you before he does.”

Hancock turned around and I hurried to follow him. As I looked at his back I frowned at my own feelings. What was this? Why did I get so irritated when he apologized? I was glad that he had proven himself to be a guy of principles... Well, at least of  _certain_ type of principles. So why was I so disappointed? All the questions attacked at me from every direction and I couldn't answer to any of them.

To escape my own thoughts I took a few quick steps so I could reach Hancock's side.

”Nick's leaving already? Did he get anything out of the men you're keeping?”

”No. It seems that we already had everything they knew.”

”So what's going to happen to them?”

Hancock glanced at me and then a truly scary smile crept on his face.

”I beat the shit out of them. Then I shot off their balls before blowing their brains out.”

Only then, when I was closer to him, I noticed that the white-ish shirt, which he wore under the red jacket, had some fresh looking red on its sleeves. He looked at me when he noticed that I wasn't walking as fast anymore and saw my eyelids fly wide open.

”It had to be done”, he spoke harshly. ”They got what was coming to them. And I was glad that I got to be the one delivering it.”

I didn't answer. His face just now had scared me, because even with the smile his eyes had been both angry and pure enjoyment. He had said that he was glad, but truthfully... He had loved it.

We arrived to the wall, where Nick was already waiting for us.

”Now then”, he smiled, ”I'm sorry I couldn't be as helpful as I had hoped. Hancock had already done a quite thorough job with the prisoners. Although I would have preferred to arrange a transfer for them to Diamond City jail.”

Hancock shrugged.

”Saved you a couple of bunks there.”

”That you did”, Nick said a bit of a sharpness in his voice. ”Anyway, I'm going to keep my promise and be on a lookout for your friend. I'll also send her description to my contacts, see if anyone has spotted her or heard anything. Still, even though I don't want you to lose your hope, I must have you understand that-”

”Yeah, I know”, I had to interrupt him. I didn't want to hear it, even though I knew what he was going to say. ”But I can't stop myself. I want to believe she's alive.”

Nick's eyes were sad, but he kept smiling and lifted his human-looking hand to my shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. I found that I liked him a lot and would've loved for him to stay longer. He had such a soothing way to talk.

Then he let go and nodded to Hancock, who seemed to have his signature, laid back smile back.

”Stay safe out there, Valentine. And get your metal ass back here more often”, Hancock slapped Nick on his back. The synth tapped his fedora.

”See you around, John.”

The metal door cried out when Nick stepped through it with his worn detective jacket gushed by the wind.

 


End file.
